Posted on 03/21/2009 4:46:55 PM PDT by Pyro7480
Johann Sebastian Bach (31 March 1685 [O.S. 21 March] – 28 July 1750) was a German composer and organist whose sacred and secular works for choir, orchestra, and solo instruments drew together the strands of the Baroque period and brought it to its ultimate maturity. Although he introduced no new forms, he enriched the prevailing German style with a robust contrapuntal technique, an unrivalled control of harmonic and motivic organisation in composition for diverse instrumentation, and the adaptation of rhythms and textures from abroad, particularly Italy and France.
Revered for their intellectual depth, technical command and artistic beauty, Bach's works include the Brandenburg concertos, the Goldberg Variations, the Partitas, the Well-Tempered Clavier, the Mass in B Minor, the St. Matthew Passion, the St. John Passion, the Magnificat, The Musical Offering, The Art of Fugue, the English Suites, the French Suites, the Sonatas and Partitas for violin solo, the Cello Suites, more than 200 surviving cantatas, and a similar number of organ works, including the celebrated Toccata and Fugue in D Minor.
While Bach's fame as an organist was great during his lifetime, he was not particularly well-known as a composer. His adherence to Baroque forms and contrapuntal style was considered "old-fashioned" by his contemporaries, especially late in his career when the musical fashion tended towards Rococo and later Classical styles. A revival of interest and performances of his music began early in the 19th century, and he is now widely considered to be one of the greatest composers in the Western tradition....
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.co.uk ...
History's Channel's "This Day in History" featured Bach's birthday, so I thought I'd mark it here as well.
I'm fortunate that I'll be seeing a performance of all six Brandenburg Concertos tomorrow. I have only seen a live performance of #2 before, back when I was in college, and that was like 10 years ago.
Here's a short video about the performace: Acad. of Ancient Music: Brandenburgs
Ping!
Wasn’t he a member of the Lovin’ Spoonful?
You know, when I turn 300, I say, dig me up and let`s PARTY! I might finally be able to hold my liqour.
This is getting old.
What a bummer that this history will be wiped off the face of the Earth within 50 years...once the Islamization of Europe is completed.
Very sad...the Europeans contributed so much, but then chose collective suicide.
Happy Big 3-2-4, Sir! :)
Bach, the greatest musician of the past millennium, was a Lutheran church organist!
My favorite composer regardless of the era, not just Baroque.
Thanks for the ping.
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Thanks,
sitetest
he’s the lead singer for SKID ROW, right? Cool!
Shouldn’t his birthday be celebrated on March 31? Some of the German states had switched to the Gregorian calendar even before he was born, although I assume he was born in one of the states still using the Julian calendar, but the changeover in those states took place in his lifetime. We celebrate Washington’s birthday on February 22 even though he was born before the British Empire changed to the Gregorian calendar (he was born on Feb. 11, O.S.).
It will only disappear if the US, Canada, Australia, et al, disappear too. No different than the classics of ancient Greece and Rome surviving the Visigoth occupation of Rome because they were kept in libraries in Ireland.
Organs can be rebuilt. The manuscripts might be lost, but in the US many film negatives for our treasures are gone and the movies still exist thanks to copies. I wouldn't worry about Bach's music being lost. I'd worry about the people who can actually stay awake through a 2 hour Bach only concert. I'm a classical musician, and trust me on this, there are other composers who were just as adventurous.
Maybe it's just a personal preference thing.
That’s a good question. I was just going by the History Channel.
Are you saying that I have some kind of undiagnosed mental illness? ;-)
Or you've had entirely too much caffeine. Bach was probably a truly great organist. 300 years later, there's a very large body of work that puts Bach in a different light, especially when not everyone was cut out to perform it. Long, technical explanation could go here, but I'll resist.
I lean toward the late Baroque to mid-Romantic period, mostly, myself. Mozart, hands down, was the most naturally gifted, instinctual composer, but there were others during his years who were outstanding, particularly in Venice. Well, and then there was Rossini, Verdi, and in France Debussy, Saint-Saens, Bizet and Delibes. Sumptuous stuff. :)
You’re right. I did think about the rest of the West and figured Europe’s works would be safe...as long as someone held out.
Interesting that the Irish kept the really important info from the past...never knew that.
Actually, I left out the word "monastery." The Irish monks maintained the libraries. It's all chronicled in a book by Thomas Cahill titled How the Irish Saved Civilization. The series is called Hinges of History and I'm not sure if there's been another book since. Haven't seen one.
When I was in East Germany in 1983 I saw Bach’s birth house in Eisenach which is near the Cotta house
and Thomaskirche in Leipzig where he is buried in the chancel.
Luther Put the Reformation to Word and Bach to Music
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